Why is this examination recommended?
With mammography the disease can be detected at an early stage, and the chances of cure are much greater, reaching up to 95%.
What is the importance of mammography in the fight against breast cancer?
Mammography is an exam that allows the detection of breast cancer still at an early stage and if the disease is detected at this stage, the chances of cure are greater, reaching up to 95%.
Besides, the treatment in this stage is less aggressive and there is a greater chance of preserving the breast.
The exam must be done annually by women over 40 years old or according to medical orientation in cases where there is the disease in first-degree relatives (mother, grandmother, aunt, sister).
The breast ultrasound can also help the doctor detect anomalies in the mammary region. This examination is indicated, for example, in patients who present radiologically dense breasts, that is, in breasts where there is a higher incidence of fibroglandular tissue which hinders the visualization of nodules by mammography.
This situation is very common, especially in patients under the age of 35. In these cases, the physician may use the ultrasonography to investigate the presence of breast nodules or cysts. Ultrasonography is also indicated whenever the patient presents any alteration in the mammography results. In this case, the ultrasonography works as a complementary examination to help indicate or not the need for a biopsy.
Once any abnormality is detected by the mammography or ultrasonography, the patient will be referred for a biopsy and, based on the analysis of the tissue fragments, the presence of cancerous cells can be confirmed or not.
In summary, mammography and ultrasonography are the exams used for the detection of breast alterations and the biopsy is the exam that gives the diagnosis.
